


No one else I'd rather kill

by PlatonicDemonic



Category: DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Character Death, Gay, How Do I Tag, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jayroy, M/M, Organized Crime, Roy Harper Needs a Hug, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 22
Words: 14,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28386753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlatonicDemonic/pseuds/PlatonicDemonic
Summary: Jason "Hood" ToddRoy "Arrow" HarperTwo hit men who grow dangerous close for the life that they live. Sometimes our feelings come with danger and mistakes.Sometimes those mistakes may cost you your life.*There is swearing and violence, please be warned!***originally posted on Wattpad**
Relationships: Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Comments: 11
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

Roy "Arrow" Harper. 

A name that only struck fear in the hearts of few. In his defence, he was only known by few. To the outside world, he was a myth and not even that. He was a whisper in the shadows but God did he love to make a show when he could. 

The Arrow was proud of his nickname. It was telling of his sharp, accurate shots that left many dead without a final prayer even escaping their blue lips. It was also a memorial to a great man he used to hate.

You would think that a name as well known as his would be hiding out in, maybe, a mansion but no. Roy was, for now, in a regular motel room. 

"Keep a low profile or the only profile you'll be left with is a toe tag and a death certificate." 

Thats what his late mentor use to tell him. A bit morbid but he wasn't wrong.   
It was ignoring his own rule that landed a bullet between his eyes. 

The room was, okay. He was only in there for a few days, he would live . It was small with rotten wood surrounding him on all sides. Everything was illuminated by a dim lightbulb swing from the ceiling. Pushed against the back wall was a rock solid bed with sheets an off white colour that he was currently sat on the edge of, polishing his gun. 

He didn't need to polish it, but he was slightly nervous and the weight in his hand helped ground him. 

He tapped his leather dress shoes on the creaking floor boards, keeping as quiet as possible to not wake up any neighbours he may or may not have. 

He checked the old ticking clock on his wall, 3:30. Time to go. 

He took in a deep, shaking breath to compose himself before he stood up and straightened his grey suit with his slightly sweaty palms. 

He placed his gun in his padded briefcase and put on his sunglasses. The front strands of his hair tickled his face, setting him on edge more than it should of, they never stay in the damn hair tie. 

His posture straightened, his expression fell neutral and he made his way out of the door, locking it behind him and stuffing the keys in his jacket pocket. 

Once he was out of the building, he pulled out his phone to re-read the email he was sent hours prior: 

To my two cleaners, 

A driver of mine shall arrive to collect you from your separate hotels. He will be driving a black BMW so be outside and ready for a spotless clean up by 3:45 am. I will pay you in full at a separate location that my driver will take you too when the job is done. 

Signed, your generous employer. 

Employer. He hated that word. To Roy, this man was just another client, the only difference being, he didn't normally work with other people. This "employer" had hired two different hitmen. He was ok with that, just nervous. He had a tendency to piss of others, especially ones in his line of work. 

Just as his internal monologue ended, a car pulled up in front of him. A black BMW. The driver rolled down the window and turned to face him, he was also wearing sunglasses, he paired them with a black, fitted suit. 

"Nice day out," he said in a monotone voice.

"I suppose," Roy replied with a matching lack of expression in his voice. 

The driver nodded and Roy repeated the action before walking to the back door and stepping in. It closed with a thud behind him. 

He put his seatbelt on and placed his briefcase by his feet on the floor. He sat up and leant his head back against the seat, taking in another shaky breath. 

"Your the guy I'm working with then?" A gruff voice sounded from behind him. 

Roy lifted his head and turned slightly in his seat to see a man in a black suit with a matching black tie, sunglasses and slick back dark hair with a streak of white going through it. 

"Indeed I am." Roy shot back with smirk. 

His partner didn't look impressed. He held his hand out anyway.

"Names Hood."

Roy took his hand in a firm handshake, "Arrow." 

Hood raised an eyebrow behinds his glasses, "Arrow huh? Correct me if I'm wrong but last I heard, the old man kicked the bucket. You his son or some shit?"

"At least by me dinner before asking my life story 'Hood'" Roy made his tone playful and pulled his sunglasses down slightly so he could send Hood a wink.

Hood just rolled his eyes and sent a silent prayer in his head that the red haired man beside him won't act like this throughout the night. 

He sighed out loud to mark his annoyance after realising that the glasses blocked the view to his eyes. 

"According to the client," 

'Client', well at least Hood and him were on the same page with that.

"There are 5 targets. A dinner party meant that they will be in rooms next to each other. Four rooms, five targets each should be asleep." Hood read of his phone that Arrow didn't see him fish out of his pocket. 

Arrow nodded, "In and out." 

Hood nodded back, "silent and fast."

The journey only lasted 15 minutes more before the car rolled to a stop outside the large gates of the targets house. The driver pulled down the sun visor in front of him and looked into the mirror at the men behind him. 

"I'll find you after the job is done boys. Good luck." He said, his voice never changing. 

The two stepped out and watched as the car disappeared down the street.


	2. Hood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: A character gets mis-gendered but it gets resolved!

Jason "The Hood" Todd.

He made enemy's quicker than he made ghosts and that was pretty damn fast. It's thought that if you can hire him then do it, but whatever you do, don't get on his bad side. He can kill you fast but the Hood himself can't die. 

People have tried to kill him, that was inevitable but the first person who tried was never heard of again and Jason took his name as a reminder to himself and others and to mock the dead man at his feet. He also felt that "Hood" suited him quite well. He was quiet and damn near invisible, like he was always wearing a hood or a mask that hid him from the world.

Now, however, the man with the "don't talk to me" aura that practically spilled from him, was walking side by side with his latest criminal partner. The man next to him was was close to annoying in his books, though he'd only known Arrow for a few minutes so he was willing to wait and see. 

The two walked down the path in a practiced silence towards the looming wooden doors above them. They stopped just outside and Jason watched as Roy took in a sharp breath to calm his nerves. 

Jason tried the door. He watched it, surprised, as it creaked open slowly. 

"Maybe they forgot to lock it." Roy suggested. 

Jason didn't look acknowledge him at first, he just walked forwards and looked inside. After a minute of silence, but with his eyes still glued ahead, he replied, 

"Shut your mouth Arrow, don't go jinxing us."

Roy pulled the door closed behind him and shrugged as he appeared in Jason's line of sight again. 

Jason rolled his eyes again, he felt like if he had to do it again, he'd give himself a headache. He pulled out his old phone to re-read the information he'd been given. 

With his phone back in his pocket, he nodded his head in the direction of a staircase to their left. Roy nodded in understanding and followed him to their targets rooms. 

They made there way about five steps up before a soft, high pitched voice caused them to freeze.

"Oh dearie me," they spoke.

The boys turned around to see a person around 5"8 wearing a dark suit with black hair reaching past their shoulders and halfway down their back. 

They pushed their round glasses higher up their nose as they carried on talking, "I didn't hear you come in, I do apologise. Mr Dent never said anything about more guests, I'm afraid I haven't got another room prepared..." They trailed of. 

Roy and Jason looked at each other, Jason shot a glare over the top of his glasses to silence his partner. 

Jason straightened up and let his shoulders relax. His face changed in record speed and it now held a charming smile, he walked down the stairs and held his hand out to the stranger. 

"Mr Wayne." He finished for the person in front of him. "My acquaintance and I informed Mr Dent that we would be late, but you know how he can be." He chuckled lowly to sell the lie he managed to pull out of thin air. 

The persons face seemed to light up in embarrassed recognition. Their eyes went wide and a soft blush dusted their cheeks as they took Jason's hand.

"Mr Wayne? Why didn't you say so, I do apologise. Would you like me to show you and your partner to one of our guest rooms?" 

Jason pulled his hand back and nodded. 

"Please, these manors can be so confusing to navigate. Thank you miss?"

They nodded uncomfortably, "Um.. it's Mx, Mx Anderson." 

"My apologies Mx Anderson. Will our room be near the other guests." 

They nodded again, "Mr Dent thought it best if all guests stayed on the same floor." 

Jason stepped to the side and held and arm up the stairs in dramatic fashion, "Then by all means, show the way." 

Mx Anderson briskly walked past the two men and made their way up the steps. 

Roy looked at Jason, his jaw hanging and his eyebrows raised beneath his glasses, 'how' he mouthed in shock. 

Jason shrugged and smirked before following who he assumed to be the butler, to the second floor.

It took Roy a bit longer before he managed to shake his head clear from his partner antics and follow the two of them to a room. 

The butler lead them up the rest of the staircase and down the hallway that appeared at the top. They took a left and the boy's saw a row of doors at their left, 6 in a row with a wall decorated with pictures opposite. 

The butler listed of the names of the guests (their targets) as they passed each room. At the fifth door down, they stopped and and turned to face the two men following them. 

"The room isn't perfect I apologise. If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen." 

They bowed slightly before turning back the way they came. 

Jason and Roy stepped quietly into the room, closing the door behind them. 

They'd already been spotted. The lie was weak. They had to work quickly or else they were done for and they knew it.


	3. Goodnight Mr Dent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: death and violence, graphic descriptions for most of this chapter

The two walked around opposite sides of the double bed in the centre of the room, making their footsteps soft on the carpeted floor. 

They placed their briefcases on the bright, clean sheets and opened them with a soft click. 

Jason took his sunglasses off and held them in his hand while he used the other one to try and soothe the headache that was staring to form. 

He sighed and placed his glasses back on. "This might be a bit more difficult then we thought." 

Roy hummed in agreement while he attached the silencer to his gun. He admired his work, making sure the gun was loaded and everything was where it was meant to be. 

He looked up at Jason and sighed dramatically, "That poor butler, gonna have to take them out too now." 

"Suppose so." Jason agreed gruffly as they placed their gun in a pocket inside their suit jacket. Roy did the same. They both closed there cases and held the now lighter bags in there non dominant hands. 

"So what's the plan, I take doors one and three and you take two and four." Roy asked, his voice joking though he was being serious. 

Jason nodded, "And we take the butler on the way out." He spoke without emotion in his voice. It was starting to annoy Roy just how much Jason managed to separate work from everything else. 

They made there way out of the room they were placed in and walked towards the other guests of the manor. 

As discussed, Jason was at the door next to theirs and Roy was in front of the one next to him. They nodded at each other before they twisted the handles and stepped in, the doors not making a sound as they shut behind them. 

•

Jason blinked his eyes a few times to adjust to the dark setting in the room. He looked towards the bed and just as the butler said, there she was, his first victim of the night. 

Miss Selina Kyle.

She looked peaceful in her sleep. Her dark hair framed her tan face perfectly. The moonlight from the window traced her side and reflected off the diamonds on her neck. Her face was set calm and relaxed. It was a shame really. 

Jason reached into his jacket and pulled out his gun. He pointed it at her head, his elbow only slightly bent, and he fired. 

The sound was muffled. The only sign of the shot was the slight traces of gun powder on Jason's fingers and the bullet hole in Miss Kyle's head. 

The gun only made and entry wound thanks to Jason's distance. The bullet was just visible, shining bright gold under the thick red blood that coated it. 

Blood trailed down one side of her face, mixing in her hair and sticking and dying strands together. Some slicked down to her eye, it forced her eyelid shut and flowed down her cheek and stained the sheets in a puddle beneath him. 

"Sorry Miss Kyle." He mumbled softly.

•

Roy stepped into the room he was assigned and closed the door carefully. 

The bed that lay against the sidewall had two people in it and if that butler was correct his first victims were

Miss Pamela and Harleen Isley-Quinzel. 

Roy kept his eyes on his first target of the two, Pamela. In one swift movement, his eyes never moving, he pulled his gun out of his jacket and shot her in the neck. 

He stood and watched for a moment as Pamela's blood flowed evenly down both sides of her neck, staining the cloth on her shoulders and beneath her.

Snapping from his thoughts, Roy's eyes widened as he heard shuffling on the bed beside Pamela's paling corpse. 

Harleen was waking up. 

Roy wasted no time in raising his gun once more and firing a singular shot into Harleen's chest. 

She gasped slightly before falling back against the soft bedsheets, her eyes were left open and glossy, staring at the ceiling above her. All while the warm blood bubbled around the hole in her chest and splattered onto her arms and neck. 

Roy walked up to her and with a gloved hand, he closed her eyes. 

As he was about to step away, something shone in his line of sight. He turned around and saw Harleen's hand, more importantly, the gold band around her finger. He saw a matching one on Pamela's hand and he felt a slight sharp sense of guilt slice through his chest. 

He walked back towards the married couple and interlocked their finger before placing both of their hands on top of the sheet that covered them.

He left quietly to the room of his next target. 

•

Jason creeped out of Selina's room and closed the door with a soft click behind him.

After looking down the corridor for any other wandering workers, he made his way past the room Arrow entered and to the next one down. 

The room occupying Mr Edward Nigma. 

He turned the handle and walked in before freezing once again. 

Unlike the others, Mr Nigma was very much awake and seated at a desk below a large window in the room, paper dotting the workspace around him. 

Edward turned as he heard the noise, ready to confront the unexpected guest for not knocking before entering. 

"Pardon the intrusion Mr Nigma," Jason started. Behind his back, his hand was already looking for the lock which he then turned upon finding.

Edward trailed the movement of Jason's hand, he looked back at his face with all traces of confusion now gone from his own. 

The target nodded and cast his gaze downward. 

"It wasn't Dent."

"No." Jason supplied.

"No," Edward repeated, his tone was defeated with a hint of forced laughter, "no I didn't think it would be in the end. That leaves one person."

Jason waited though he didn't know why. His finger was hovering over the trigger but he kept his barrel facing the ground. 

"Tell me." Edward's eyes met Jason's face once more, "How much did the bastard pay you." 

"Enough." Jason replied with as he gun raised and Edward was left leaning limp against the back of his seat. 

•

Walking to the final room, Roy took in yet another unsteady breath. It was starting to worry him how nervous this simple job was making him. 

The familiar click of a lock closing put Roy on another train of thought. If Hood has to lock Mr Nigma's door then there's probably another complication in the equation. 

He had to be quicker.

He had to kill Mr Harvey Dent.

His pace picked up and he was soon at the door. With a final sweep of the hallway with his eyes, he entered the room with a familiar jump in his step. He was glad to have that back. 

Adrenaline pumping in his veins filled his ears, he could hear it building up slowly, growing in strength and volume. His head whipped back and forth, his hair loosening from his hair ties grip. The door shut behind him with a slam but he didn't seem to notice, his smile just grew and his eyes glinted wildly underneath his glasses.

The hair tie silently fell to the floor and all of Roy's hair fell into his face. He huffed a low chuckle and flicked his hair out of the way with a fast movement from his neck. 

He was wasting time and he knew it, but the thrill of the game was back and he was planning on walking this line till it snapped. He wanted to wait it out, feel the rush of blood and energy as his life flashed before his eyes. He wanted to watch that familiar scene and laugh in the face of death. He needed to.

Just to feel his own blood mix with Dent's. The thought itself sparked something in him. 

He chewed on his bottom lip to try and mask and contain some of his excitement. His gun was still in his hand so he twirled it around, easing closer to his victim. 

The floorboards creaked under his weight, he glided on them easily. He looked high but it was obviously just on emotions and the kind that would rival that of a teenage girls.

He sighed dramatically. The heels of his feet hit the floorboards. 

His gun raised once again. This time, the edge of his barrel landed on the top of Mr Dent's head and he softly dragged it down to his temple. 

Some shitty, quick-witted one-liner. That's all he wanted. Instead, before words left his mouth or his finger hit the trigger, Roy felt an elbow collide with his neck. 

He choked and wheezed as he stumbled backwards. His hands scrambled towards his throat. He doubled over and clawed at the flesh around his neck, gasping to try and gain his breath. 

"I would expect any adversary of mine to at least afford a capable assassin. Why must I always be left disappointed by those who want to kill me." Gruff was the first word to describe the mans voice. 

The cold barrel of his own gun was planted firmly against his own head by the man he was meant to kill. Roy still could barely breath as tears began gathering in the corners of his eyes. 

"Maybe I'll send your gun and your head back to your employer. Raise the stakes." The man laughed lowly. 

When Roy pictured his life flashing before his eyes, he often hoped it would be with his gun in his hand at the very least. He was certain that the man above him would be dead in a heartbeat given a level playing field. He'd laugh and cheat death like he always did.

"I don't think so Harvey."

You had to be kidding him.   
Hood was standing in the doorway with his gun held high in both hands, he had a signature smirk on his face and he looked like he came straight out of an action film. 

It disgusted Roy. 

There he was, on the floor, struggling to breathe while at gunpoint and the man he was meant to be making a good impression for was acting like his knight in shining armour. 

"Goodnight Mr Dent."


	4. Take the butler on the way out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: more graphic violence and death

His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he was gone. Harvey's body fell to the floor with a thud and a squelch as he landed in a growing puddle of his own warm blood.

Roy kept one hand on his sore throat while his other hand searched blindly for his gun that had skidded out of Dent's loose grip.

Jason watched this scene play out as he took a cloth out of his pocket and began cleaning his gun. He raised a judgmental eyebrow at his partner and kicked the abandoned weapon closer to his hand. 

Silently he waited until he saw Arrows hand tighten around the gun. He put his own inside his jacket and walked closer to the struggling man. 

Roy gasped as he was hoisted up roughly by the collar of his shirt and jacket. He coughed when Jason then threw him on his feet and hit his back. 

"Your...an ass." Roy scowled between laboured breaths. 

Jason straightened up and fiddled with the cuffs of his sleeves.   
"I also just saved yours, so if your little stunt didn't put the cops on our scent then I suggest a thanks would be in order if we leave this alive."

Roy rolled his eyes as he steadied himself, putting his gun away inside his jacket.

"Mx Anderson should be in the kitchen" Jason stated, ignoring Arrow's anger. 

"Yeah yeah. Take the butler on the way out." Roy straightened his collar as he grumbled.

They picked up their cases that found there way to the floor in the chaos. They closed the door, left the room and walked down the hallway to the stairs. 

"Mx Anderson." Jason called as he led the two down the grand staircase. 

Feet pattered against the marble floor. Tufts of black hair swirled as the butler stood at the bottom of the stairs. 

"Mr Wayne," they bowed at the two men. "Anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, there is one thing." Jason continued. "I just hope I'm not disturbing you." 

Roy kept quiet, watching the scene and going along silently with the act. 

"I'm sure I'm the only one awake, I'd rather you disturb me then wake the others." They laughed lightly. 

"Can you direct us to the...kitchen..." he paused slightly, trying to think of an excuse for them all to leave the open hall. 

"I have multiple food allergies," Roy chimed in after watching Hood's silent slip up, "We like to check the kitchen of every place we stay." 

Jason's eyes widened and he was once again thankful for the glasses masking his face. He coughed gently, "um..yes. They can be worryingly dangerous. Please."

The butler nodded again, "Of course sirs, right this way." 

As they began to head in the direction they came from, Roy and Jason turned to face each other. 

Roy's face relaxed and he silently laughed. Jason let a soft smile stretch onto his face, he nodded in agreement and nudged Roy's shoulder to remind him that they had to follow the butler. 

Maybe he wasn't as bad as he thought.

Shaking his thoughts from his head, he walked beside Roy to the kitchen. He looked around, filing the ground floors layout in his mind. 

"Here we are," Jason was pulled from his thoughts by the butlers voice, "ingredients for tomorrow's breakfast and lunch will be in those cupboards and that fridge there." They spoke as they pointed to the storage spaces, their back sill turned against the two men. 

Jason turned his head and nodded to Roy who promptly nodded back and locked the door they just came through. 

He took his gun out and pointed it at the small figure in-front of him. "I'm sure it would have been lovely, Mx Anderson."

"What do you mean by 'would have'," they laughed innocently.

They turned around as they asked and Jason watched as they eyes grew in fear at the sight of the weapon. 

Tears welled in their eyes. They stumbled backwards, their back hitting the wall as they violently shook their head and sobbed into their hand.   
"Please." 

Jason stepped closer and shook his head, "I'm sorry Mx Anderson. I hoped it wouldn't come to this." 

Before the quivering butler could cry out, the bullet pierced their forehead. Their eyes rolled back and they skidded down the wall to a seating position on the rapidly staining floor. The exit wound at the back of their head stained the wall and caked their hair. 

"Shit." Roy whispered. 

"Nothing we both haven't seen before." Jason mumbled calmly as he tucked his gun away again. 

Roy unlocked the door and they both stepped out back into the hall. 

"I know but, they were nice." 

Jason took one last look at the body before the door shut behind him. He sighed. "Yes, they were."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't expecting this to do that well, seeing this do well and all the comments honestly make my day, thank you :)


	5. For a job well done

The house was loud.

It was quiet when they entered.  
Quiet while they worked.

But now, at the Dent household, as it's butler, it's guests and it's master lay dead, it was loud. 

It could have just been the rush of blood that Roy felt racing towards his head. It could have been his quickening pulse, maybe the laboured breaths or vomit threatening to rise up his throat. All he knew was that he wanted to be paid and to leave.

Guns in their briefcases, they stood outside the gates of the ghost house. Roy taped his foot, the gravel crunched below his polished shoe. He drowned out all noise but the one from under his feet, it calmed him, he controlled that noise. The speed, the rhythm, when it stopped and started up again. As long as the gravel cowered, he was calm. 

"-rude as I want to. Im freezing and we're at risk the longer we stand here. Ok, be quick."

Jason hung up and pushed his phone deep in his pocket. He ripped his glasses off his face and pushed the palms of his hands into his eyes. 

The noise startled Roy from his absence of thought. He looked up at the other man who was slowly moving his hands from his face and raising his head back. Jason's eyes were still tightly shut. 

"He'll be here in five. Bastards doing laps around the block to keep away suspicions." 

Roy hummed and looked back down at the dirt, "Smart. This guys really pulling out all the stops." 

Jason scoffed, "No shit. Ran the licence plate and it's registered to an abandoned warehouse in Europe." He opened one of his eyes and looked across at Roy with a smirk on his lips.

Jason opened both his eyes and looked up at the night sky, counting the four or five stars that were visible and sighing. 

"You alright there Hood?"

Jason pried his head away from the night sky in favour of looking Roy in the eyes, "Jason."

"Pardon?"

"My name," he sighed, "it's Jason. I know it ain't a big deal for you to know but your one of the only decent guys I've worked with. Maybe after this, we'll see each other again." 

Roy folded his arms and scoffed with a smile, "Jason Wayne, I thought you looked familiar." 

"Todd, Jason Todd," he groaned with a smile, "it's only Wayne when I want something."

"Ok then," he laughed, "then I'm Roy." He held out his hand towards the man for the second time that night.

Jason took it in a firm handshake, "let me guess, Harper?" 

Roy raised an eyebrow, his smirk only wavering a bit, "How'd you gather?" 

Jason turned to look at the sky again, "your old mans a friend of my dads. I guess the names a sought of family heirloom then."

"Suppose it is." Roy sighed, looking up at the same sky that Jason seems so mesmerised by. 

He didn't see it the way Jason did and that wasn't just because of the glasses on his face blocking out the light. 

Jason could look at the sky forever. When he was younger, he often dreamed, less about being in space and more just of it. It distracted him as a child and the comfort of seeing what he did was still familiar. 

Roy however, just saw the sky. The same one everyday. He could understand why some people were so entrapped by the stars but he just saw the same ones each day. He'd just grown bored. 

The low rumble of an engine shook the ground slightly. Jason placed his glasses back onto his face as the pair looked on towards the vehicle that was slowing to a halt by the side of the road. 

Their newly blank faces nodded towards each other and they made almost robotic movements towards the backseats of the cars.

They were off. Street lights reflect in the windows either side of them. The drive was slow and silent. Nothing interesting happened so Roy spent the trip staring intently at the world around him. More specifically, the way the car headlights shone as they sped past him. 

Jumping slightly, the car rolled and pulled into a stop in front of a three storied building. 

Roy looked up and squinted at the buzzing, faintly illuminated sign. 

"Why are we here?"

The driver turned in his seat, the ironed sleeve of his suit jacked leant on the head rest as he stared at the boy's over the top of his sunglasses,

"Change of plan. The Boss is staying anonymous. Your going home early." 

"What about the pay?"Roy's voice was tight through his gritted teeth as he questioned the man. 

Jason stayed quiet. A neutral expression played on his face but he nodded in agreement with Roy as the man looked at him.

The driver sighed, he sounded annoyed but Roy couldn't place why. He reached with his free arm to the glove compartment and opened it with a gloved hand. 

His fingers delicately danced among a pile of brown envelopes, his eyes scanned them over his glasses before he pulled one out. 

"For a job well done." He smirked as he passed the bundle to Roy, his arm imitating a bow in the short movement.


	6. I'm full of surprises darling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: graphic and inaccurate medical care

Roy and Jason went their separate ways. That was six months ago. Now Roy is back in his apartment and Jason is wherever he runs of to at the end of the day. Roy couldn't care less. 

Work has been slow but the sum from his anonymous client has left him comfortable for now. He often contemplates getting a full time job, getting a boss, regular pay instead off being some kind of "hit man for hire" that gets labelled as a rookie. He isn't a rookie but a full time job comes with loyalty which puts his life on the line more than he would like. He's heard of men found face first in gutters from slip ups, but at least they were found.

He can't afford that. He's got a kid for fucks sake. If anything happened to little Lian, well, that would destroy him. 

He thinks back to her. He misses her but she's safe and that's what matters. She's living with her mother and his ex. An ex hit woman by the code name Cheshire. She's skilled enough to protect them both and was smart enough to quit that life and get a real job. You can never really quit that life though. You can only say you have. You still know things, things too dangerous to be out in the open. And that's why Roy is for hire. For his family. Old and new.

A tap at his window startles him from his thoughts. 

He lets out a gasp as his eyes recognise the face staring at his through the glass. He doesn't think he'll ever forget him. Except, he looks slightly different. 

His hair is plastered around his pale, sweaty face with the white streak moulded between his eyes. The corner of his lip is raised in a cheesy smirk. 

"Shit.." Roy whispers before pushing himself out of his chair and rushing to open the window. 

He opens the latch and watches as Jason tumbles through and struggles to stand up, leaning against a wall for support.

"You made quite an entrance, I didn't take you for the type."

"Well I'm full of surprises darling" Jason mocks back.

"I'd say. Gotham booked or just paying an old friend a visit"

"Don't flatter yourself, had an incident and Gothams a little to far for the supplies I'm looking for"

"You got compromised?"

"Is it that obvious" he sighs, moving his hand from his side to reveal a dark patch of blood beginning to seep through his suit jacket. 

Roy's eyes widen as he rushes to his bathroom to retrive a first aid kit from under his sink. "Next time, start with that"

"Skipping the small talk, I like that. Maybe treat me to a drink while your at it"

"In your dreams Todd"

"It's a pain relief sweetheart"

"It's a blood thinner is what it is, and with the amount you've lost I'm not gonna risk it"

"Your pretty cute when your concerned Harper" Jason says in a sing song way. He sits on a stool by Roy's kitchen counter, watching him march into the room, green box in hand. 

"And your pretty delusional when your dying of blood loss Todd" He snaps back, opening the kit. 

"Delusion is an excuse at best"

"Is that so? Then enlighten me, an excuse for what"

"I'm only saying the truth but without a filter. You truly are magnificent"

Roy stays silent at that stopping his search through the kit and keeping his eyes down. Currently not trusting his voice or hand to not shake the moment he tries to use them.

Jason takes his silence as an invitation to continue. "Who is it that said, 'love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind'" 

"'And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind' a midsummer nights dream."

"Shakespeare. Of course. I didn't take you for a fan of the classics"

"Well I'm full of surprises darling" Roy smirks. 

Jason chuckles at that before the pain in his side causes him to hiss slightly. 

"Take your shirt of." 

"Your very forward Mr. Harper." Jason laughs. 

"Do you want to bleed out at my kitchen counter or what!" Roy snaps. 

Jason smirks before removing his jacket and raising the bottom of his dress shirt just above the fresh wound. 

"What made this then," Roy asked while taking out the necessary materials to clean the wound and the surrounding blood.

"Bullet." 

Roy's head shot up, "Is the bullet still in there?"

Jason didn't reply, his eyes drooping slightly.

"Sorry for this.." Roy mumbled before slapping Jason's face.

"Ow! Yes it's still there! What was that for?"

Roy got some tweezers out and put them next to the other stuff. "You fall asleep on me and I will make this more painful then it has to be."

"Noted." Jason replied, his voice thick and heavy like it was struggling to leave his mouth and falling hard on the floor when it did. 

Roy cleaned up the blood and the wound, trying to block out Jason's whines of protest that broke his heart. 

He cleaned the tweezers and grabbed onto Jason's hand. 

"I'm not gonna sugar coat it, it's gonna hurt like a bitch." 

He let go of Jason's hand and grabbed a cloth that lay on the counter, passing it over to Jason who put it between his clasped teeth. He then returned is hand to its original position. 

Jason nodded and Roy breathed out heavily. That was when he carefully inserted the tweezers into the wound. 

He searched for the bullet for a few painful seconds before grappling onto it. He tugged, trying not to gag at the blood that bubbled around the golden metal. After another pull, the bulled came loose and he dropped it onto a paper towel. 

He could feel the grip on his hand lessen despite being unable to feel it tighten in the first place. Now came his lease favourite part. 

Roy cleaned a needle and threaded it carefully before once again, starting his work at the not of his patients head. 

The needle threaded through the skin expertly and despite Jason wincing every now and then, he was ok through the process as well. 

Roy let go of Jason's hand and bandaged up the now closed wound. 

"Thank you, you really didn't have to." 

"Nonsense. Now I'm going to get you a change of cloths and a blanket. You can make yourself comfortable on the couch."

"It's ok Roy really. I'm not bleeding anymore." 

"That's a bullshit excuse and you know it. You've lost too much blood to travel all the way back to Gotham. Now sit." Roy demanded before turning on his heel towards his own room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really like this one but it is what it is :)


	7. Why?

"Welcome to the land of the living."

Jason groaned as he woke. Light attacked his eyes and voices attacked his ears. He shifted through it.

"Roy?" He sighs, "what time is it?" 

He checks his watch, "only nine in the afternoon."

"Day?"

"You've only been here for 24 hours sweetheart, don't worry too much, you'll pass out again." 

Confusion knitted its way through his brows, "since when did you call me sweetheart?" He sat up.

"Since you threw yourself through my window half dead and started quoting Shakespeare." 

He rested one leg over the other and took a sip of the coffee in his hands, raising his eyebrows at Jason over the rim of the mug.

"I guess that's fair." He mumbled. 

Roy passed him a mug of coffee and Jason gratefully accepted. He swung his legs round so that they were planted on the floor in front of him and the two drank in silence.

Jason placed his now empty cup onto the table in front of him before leaning back into the soft cushions. 

"Thank you Roy."

"For what?"

"Not letting me die I guess."

"No problem, but if you dare pull those stitches, the next bullet you'll be fishing out of yourself will be from my gun."

Jason hummed sarcastically and Roy rolled his eyes at the sound. He stood up and took his own mug and Jason's back into the kitchen. 

Jason stared down at his hands. The lines drawn across his worn palms cutting deep marks into his flesh. He watched as he moved them to his side, to the bandage hidden beneath his clothes to the-

"I'm assuming you want a lift back to Gotham"

Head up. Eyes ahead. Blurry. Dark. It's returning. Its back. 

"Huh?"

"A lift. To Gotham. Y'know? In a car?" Roy said as he walked back in. "Unless you want to walk the distance." 

"No, yeah. A lift would be good. Thanks." He mumbled, standing up. 

"You ok there Todd. You seem... out of it?"

Roy looked genuinely concerned. Why?

"I'm fine Harper. God, Bruce is gonna give me one hell of a lecture when I get back." He pushed past him, letting out a weak laugh.

He gave a forced laugh back, choosing to stare at his feet while his brain processed what happened. "Yeah..."

The door clicked and Roy could hear feet tapping, walking down the stairs and out of the building. He swiped his keys and ran.

~

"Took you long enough." Jason yelled, watching as Roy ran out of the door. 

He was leaning against Roy's car, one of his shoes leaning against the red paintwork of the door. 

'I guess he has a colour theme.' Jason thought to himself.

"You gonna pay me for the paint work you just scuffed?" Roy laughed. 

"Why not, pay you back for playing doctor yesterday."

"S'pose so." Roy shrugged as he walked to the other side of the car, unlocking it and stepping in. Jason followed after.

~

"So where to?" Roy asked as he turned the car down a slip road with a 'Gotham' sign above it.

"Wayne manor." Jason whispered in a monotone voice. He had his elbow leaning on the car door and he was staring, un-looking, out of the window.

"Seriously?" He turned, giving him a questioning look.

"Why would I be kidding?" 

Roy shrugged.


	8. Let it go

"Wayne manor" 

"Let it go will ya"

"Sorry, but no" Roy smirked.

He was obviously getting on Jason's nerves but the amount that he has done for him the past few days, he was allowed to. 

Well that was his reasoning at least.

"Why is it so shocking that I live there anyway"

Roy took a glance at the man beside him before his eyes turned back to the road. 

"Sorry, it's just... the Waynes? Really? I understand you but your brothers? Are they also in this work? Do they know? What about Bruce, I've met your old man before but he never struck me as..."

Jason cut him off,

"when I said your old man and mine were pals, what did you think I meant? The city and charity work? No, we owed him a favour and we delivered. It's a family business. I'm sure you know enough about them." 

He raised an eyebrow at the redhead and smirked. His arms folded as he meant back further into his seat. 

Roy chuckled a bit. 

"You got me there Todd." 

"So can ya drop it now?"

Roy shrugged, "I guess so."

An extra hour and a half in the car. It was a mostly silent journey, the quiet being lifted every few minuets for a conversation or simply directions. The scenery didn't change much when they were on the main roads. Only as they began to drive through Gotham City did the little shops light there way. 

Jason knew the city like the back of his hand. He had to. He new the safest streets and the worst. He new the changes, he noted them immediately. He knew when the lights would turn on and off again. 

He managed to find the shortest way through the city and surely enough, in no time at all, the large metal gates of Wayne Manor learned heavily in the clouds above them.

Roy drove up to them, pausing at the intercom outside. He rolled down his window and pressed the button before leaning back in his seat to allow Jason to lean over and speak to the person on the other end.

"Wayne Manor," a posh voice answered in an upperclass British accent, "what may I do for you?"

"Hey Alfred, do you mind opening the gates?"

"Master Jason, it's good to see you again, of course sir." 

"Thanks Alfred, it's good to see you to." 

He leaned back into his own seat as the device buzzed. Roy rolled his window back up and looked forward towards the house. 

The gates clicked before creaking of to the sides to allow the red car to enter. 

Roy drove up the excessively large driveway, pulling the car up in front of the stairs leading to the door.

Hesitantly, Jason took of his seatbelt and let out a shaky breath as he took in the gothic architecture of the building once again. He turned to Roy and smiled.

"Thanks again for not killing me back then."

"My pleasure." Roy smiled back.

"God, I might actually miss you, you crazy ass son of a bitch."

"I guess you'll just have to come back and visit." Roy's smile turned into a smirk. 

"I guess I will." He leaned across to Roy, the smirk evident on his face.

He knew what he was doing. Roy on the other hand had no idea and gulped suddenly at the closeness between them. Jason watched him do so, it only made him chuckle at the man however. 

He leaned down to Roy's ear and whispered, "keep the window unlocked for me, yeah?" 

Roy could hear the smirk on Jason's face as his breath tickled his neck. Jason then did something he wasn't expecting, he kissed Roy under his jaw, behind his ear before he turned and left the car. 

Roy was alone now. He watched Jason walk up the stairs, he watched him get greeted by a man in the doorway. And he watched as Jason turned and shot a subtle smirk in the direction of the car. 

Roy shook his head and chuckled before switching on the engine and turning to leave the gates. 

"God I love you, cocky dumbass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop, I wasn't expecting that to happen either and I wrote it but I guess it can't hurt to sprinkle in a sort of confession in between the death :)


	9. Consider it done

A month later. 

Times had been ok for Roy, not the easiest but that was all down to money issues. 

Roy was hell bent on being self reliant. He didn't want his adopted family to support him after his years of forceful absence, so he pretended he was ok.   
He pretended he was stable.

They gave him money on holidays, like his birthday and Christmas but for the rest of the year, it was all down to him.

The money from that job a few months ago was running dry despite Roy's constant saving. 

That's why it was good that he was going in for a new job today. 

He looked in the mirror to straighten his tie. His hair was up in a man bun in the top of his head. 

He sighed.

This is it.

His nerves often got the best of him, no matter how long he went through this same routine. 

He turned to pick up his briefcase, checking himself over once again in the mirror, before nodding to himself and turning to leave.

The entire drive over, he was shaking, he managed to channel it into just tapping his foot but he continued doing so until he sat outside the office he was meeting at and it was starting to draw unwanted attention his way. 

He was sitting on a marble bench. The building he was in seemed expensive but he knew that it was rented by multiple people so his hopes weren't that high. 

Just then, the door beside him clicked open and a young woman stepped out, she turned her attention to him and looked him up and down.

"Mr Kent will see you now." She spat.

Roy nodded and straightened his jacked as he stood up. He followed the woman into the room. A large desk was pushed to the side. He felt like he was a child again, being told of by the principal for his last stupid decision which didn't help his nerves. 

The man behind the desk (Mr Kent) looked up and smiled.

"Thank you Lois, that will be all." 

"It's Miss Lane in the workplace unless you want to be sleeping on the couch tonight." She stared at him like she was going to shoot lasers into his skull.

Mr Kent took the message and nodded shyly, "Apologies Miss Lane" 

She nodded and left, the click of the door echoing its way around the room. 

His attention turned back to Roy and his smile returned, he held out his hand and Roy took it in a firm handshake. 

"You must be Arrow."

Roy smiled back, "and you must be Mr Kent."

He chuckled and sat back in his seat,   
"Please, call me Clark,"

He gestured towards the chair opposite him and Roy took it as an invitation to sit down. 

"I'm going to cut to the chase, I've heard great things about you and my expectations are high so I expect you to live up to them." 

He spoke with a new found seriousness that made Roy slightly scared, he nodded and stayed silent. 

"Your target is a well known public figure and I'm only giving you three days to eliminate him. After which, you will return here and retrieve your pay in full and in cash. Are you following me still." He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes sir."

"Good" he seemed satisfied enough with that answer. He pulled a draw out of his desk and removed an envelope which he slid against the desk to Roy. 

"The rest of the information is in here, this is a shared building so I'm sure you can understand my concerns for saying it to you out loud."

"Of course sir, you can never be to careful." 

Clark stood up and offered his hand to Roy again which the forming then took after standing and tucking the envelope away. 

"My contact information will also be in there, I really appreciate this. This person has been distracting one of my closest and best operatives and I can't afford to trust him and let it slide."

Roy nodded, "Consider it done."

"I will see you soon," the door opened up again to the same woman and Clark nodded to her, "Miss Lane will see you out, I hope to hear from you soon." 

"And you too Mr Kent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year :)   
> Hopefully this next next year will be great for all of you   
> It's currently 00:16 but oh well, I've got loads of chapters of this that I want to get posted


	10. Curiosity killed the cat

Still shaking, Roy sat in his car outside of the large building that towered before him. 

Logic told him to open the envelope at home but his curiosity was telling him to do it now.

Clark said that the target was a public figure, has he heard of him before or better yet, has he met him before? He needed to know!

He reached into his jacket and grabbed to pocket knife inside. He flicked it open and watched as the dim lights danced on the blade. 

With one swift movement, he tore inside the envelope and retrieved the paper that sat inside. 

It read,

'Necessary information on the target:'

This was it, there was no going back now.

'Occupation: informant - often resides in his residence all hours of the day, stays in one place, should be a relatively easy target

Important information: can easily outsmart most opponents, knows everything about everyone, trained in multiple forms of combat, trained in weaponry fighting- may prove to be difficult 

Name:'

This was it, this is what he was waiting for. 

'Timothy Jackson "Tim" Drake-Wayne aka Red'

The rest of the letter was contact information and a retelling of what he already knew but that's not what was important to him.

He folded his arms on the steering wheel and rested his head on them.

"Shit," he growled, "I'm screwed, there is no way in hell I'm getting out of this one."

He had to make a call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've noticed that the quality of my chapters are getting worse and it's probably because I write them all at 2 in the morning
> 
> I'll try and fix that for future chapters 
> 
> Also, prepare for sadness 
> 
> Love you platonically :)


	11. The final kill

Pacing his room wasn't how he planned to spend most of today but here he was. Wearing down the floorboards, about to commit murder.... again.

Tonight's the night. 

He's been preparing this for two days now, if he waited any longer, he would be risking it all. 

"Everything is going to be fine, you planned this down to the last detail, nothing could go wrong," Roy whispered to himself.

If that was true, then why was he shaking so much. He closed his eyes and shook his hands to try and calm himself.

If one slip up happened, everything would be thrown out the window. God, that's a lot of pressure now that he thinks about it.

Well he shouldn't be thinking about that!

He breathed out and stopped moving. Final checks, then there's no more stalling.

He put his gun in a back pack that was stuffed with old shirts to muffle the sound. He was dressed in plain clothes instead of his regular suit. He felt like he was going to be thankful for that later. 

He checked his watch, 9:30, he had a train to catch. 

Jason knew what his car looked like, if he saw the familiar red paint speed into the distance after his brother was shot, he would instantly be on Roy's trail.

It was around 11:15 pm when Roy arrived in Gotham city. He only wished he were back under different circumstances. 

He walked through the streets, darker then the ones back home, that was nice.

He remembered what Jason told him. Stories of his youth that led him to treat the city like an old friend, knowing her like he knew himself, maybe even better.

He remembered the directions he was told and soon enough, he saw the gates of Wayne Manor above him, guarding, threatening.

He went behind a bush off to the side and knelt down beside it, his dark clothes obscuring him in the shadows. He took of his bag and took his gun out, attaching the silencer. 

He breathed out once more, a final time to centre himself. 

He zipped up his bag and swung it over his shoulder. Standing up, he checked the gun over once more to see that it was loaded probably.

He held it tightly in his non dominant hand and moved further around the gates. Staying low. Staying silent.

The bushes stretched along the length of the gates, wrapping all around the grounds to give an air of privacy to its inhabitants and protect them from the public gaze. 

Luckily to Roy, there were also trees littered around the outskirts. Trees with branches that grew both tall and strong, perfect for climbing, perfect for Roy.

He could see the building over the fence and from his 'research', he knew that if he stopped and climbed the tree just behind him, he'd have an almost ideal view of the targets bedroom window.

And so he did. 

His gun was in his left hand leaving his right hand free to grip the stronger branches. He used the insides of his feet to push himself upwards along the trunk. It was when the fence was about two feet below him when he moved over to one of the thicker branches that looked towards the house.

It was time to pray that the leaves hid him enough. 

Holding his arm up, he looked at his watch. Looked at the seconds that ticked by... until... there!

11:45 on the dot and there was Tim, looking out side of his window. Tim opened it and looked outside, almost admiringly but Roy knew better. 

As soon as they locked eyes through the tangled branches, Tim smiled and nodded.

Now.

Roy took the shot.

Expertly lining it up and firing across the fairly long distance. It hit Tim right where he needed it to. And he watched as Tim went to grip the curtains on his way down.

God, he really did it this time. 

His brain kicked in quicker and he was now taking his gun apart and putting it away while sitting in the tree still. 

He watched as a figure burst into Tim's room. 

Now he had to leave. He jumped down the tree and ran.


	12. No

Jason burst into Tim's room. 

As soon as he heard that shot, he knew what it was. A bullet, in the room of the brother who has never touched a gun a day in his life, at least not willing. 

His brain tried to piece a scene or reason together but each possible scenario was worse then the last. 

That didn't matter. He needed to make sure his brother was still alive and breathing. 

God please say that he was ok.

As soon as he stepped through the door, he saw what he could only describe as his worst nightmare. 

His little brother, Timothy, clutching his side as the red blood stain grew at an alarming rate. It bubbled through the young boy's fingers and the sight made him feel sick to his stomach.

Tim obviously heard him as he looked up at the worried man. 

Tim's face cracked into a broken smile upon seeing him. His eyes started watering from the pain.

"It's ok" Tim whispered, barely able to get the words out.

Then, he collapsed. 

Eyes rolled back. Unconscious on his floor as his curtains swayed around him.

"Shit! No no no no no." Jason screamed as he ran towards the window. 

"Alfred! Prep the med bay!" he yelled at the door desperately. He prayed the British butler was still awake at this time.

He picked up Tim and stood up, ready to rush him down the manor stairs but still careful of the wound. 

That was when it caught his eye.

Across the garden, in one of the large oak trees that surrounded the manor, he saw a flash of orange, shoulder length hair glide away and disappear. 

He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't. 

He hasn't known him for that long, but he knew he would never. 

Wouldn't he?

You've only known him for a few months.

Plus, you saw him at Dent's place. The mans a compulsive liar, who's to say anything he's told you wasn't completely made up. 

Roy... no... please, there has to be another answer. 

That bastard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Creative title, I know :)


	13. We meet again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: swearing, fighting

It was over.

Thank god. 

Roy gave his praises to whatever being was out there as he counted the money in the white envelope in his hand.

$6500? The Kents must have more in the bank then he thought. You couldn't really blame him though, they didn't look that impressive at first glance. That will teach him to judge a book by its cover again. 

He resealed the envelope as he walked up the stairs to his apartment, finally ready to take a break and push the prior events of the night to the back of his mind until further notice.

He had no reason to worry about that now, not when he could simply put his feet up and deal with it in the morning.

It wasn't even that big of a deal, he knew what he was doing. There were no other complications. No collateral damage he'd have to pay for.

Standing in front of his door, he tucked away the envelope into his pocket and simultaneously looked for his keys. 

He pulled them out, filtering through them to find the right one before he put it in the lock on his door.

In the lock on his.... open... door?

His door was open?

No. He could have sworn that he locked it before leaving. He definitely did or else he wouldn't have his keys with him now, they'd be on the hook inside. 

Shit. Just when he wanted to relax as well. 

He put the keys back in his pocket and rolled his sleeves up before pushing open the door a little bit wider. Silently, he slipped across the threshold and made his way through the apartment.

There was a chance that no one was here. That it was a poorly played out robbery, but he was smarter then that. He couldn't take any risks. 

He couldn't take any risks because he also knew that it was a possibility that someone was in his apartment, either stealing from right under his nose or worse.

Waiting to kill him.

It was as he walked further into his apartment that a familiar scent began to waft through the air. 

He could recognise it anywhere, cheap whiskey and cigarettes from the gas station up the road. The one he visited any time he was sent on a particularly rough job. 

However, at this moment, a smell that he would often long to be near felt threatening to him.

If the person with him meant to harm or kill him then they were probably trained or had been in the killing game for a while.

No one new to the job would have the steel guts to fetch themselves a drink and a smoke before the target even arrived.

Roy took off his bag and prepared himself, mentally more than anything. He exhaled silently and looked into the front room.

He saw the back of a figure sitting on the armchair, sipping their drink as the fire roared in front of them casting an almost devilish glow around their body and the chair. 

The person turned their head towards the door. They placed their glass down and stood up with a smile, turning to see Roy. 

"Harper, so nice to see you." They exclaimed, clasping his hands together like it would sell their point.

They noticed Roy's hesitance and frowned slightly, "Don't be shy, that's no fun for either of us. Care for a whiskey?"

Roy shook his head, 

"No thank you Todd, I'm alright. What are you doing here?"

"Can't I just pay a friend a visit?" Jason smiled before it dropped suddenly, "actually," he sighed, shaking his head slowly, "there is something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

Roy took a subtle step back. Jason's random changes in mood seemed too out of character for him. It was like he was acting or covering up for something,

"and what's that?" 

Jason's smile grew once again.

"I think you know." 

Were the only words he spoke before he sent a punch flying into Roy's nose.

Roy stumbled back and held his hands to his face to try and stop the steady flow of blood running down it.

In the redhead's daze, Jason grabbed him by the shoulder and used his foot to sweep his legs out from under him which sent Roy falling to the floor on his back.

Jason pushed him over so that he was now lying on his stomach before he sat on his back, restraining his arms behind him. 

Jason leant down to Roy's ear. 

"You sick bastard," he whispered breathily, "My baby brother is currently in emergency surgery to fix a bullet wound that that you gave him." 

His voice got louder the more he spoke and the angrier he got.

"Do you know what Tim's done to deserve that? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" Jason's breathing was erratic at this point. "The kids not hurt or killed anyone, the only time he's touched a weapon was in training!" 

He pushed Roy's arms so that the pressure on his shoulder blades ached unbearably before he dropped his voice back down to a whisper,

"I hope the dickhead payed you well."


	14. Decisions, distractions

Roy gritted his teeth and hissed in pain. Crying out was not the most helpful thing in this situation.

As much as it hurt to be on the ground like this, he noticed that Jason's words had cut deep as well. 

He hated to admit it but, he was right. He had no reason to do that, but he had three days and money was short. 

Forget the money, he'd already agreed to the job, if he backed out then god knows what the Kents would have done in retaliation. 

He didn't want to fight Jason. That wouldn't solve this. But he had to try talking to him at least.

Roy turned his head the best he could so that he was now facing Jason. 

"Jay, look I-"

He was ready to start spilling everything, the why, the who, the what but that was all before 'it' caught his eye. 

On a chain, dangling from Jason's neck,

"Is that the bullet, yeah, it is, that's the one from, but why-"

Jason ripped the chain from around his throat and placed it on the ground,

"Forget why, you have three seconds to explain yourself without changing the topic." 

Roy struggled under Jason, desperately trying to get free.

"One"

He could feel the pressure on his shoulders, as if any minute now they would snap or dislocate.

"Two"

He stop moving and opened his teary eyes wide. His heavy breathing was loud in his own ears.

Jason leaned down and spat through his teeth,

"Three."

"I didn't kill him!" Roy screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of bad, kind of short   
> I might post one or two more chapters in a couple of hours 
> 
> This is one of my favourite to write so I'm glad people are reading it :)


	15. I didn't kill him

"I didn't kill him!" Roy screamed.

Jason was rightfully shocked by the outburst before he managed to compose himself again. He shook his head, more to help his focus then to actually say something. He blinked before his face rested back into a scowl.

He leant forwards again, putting almost all his weight onto Roy's back hearing him hiss in pain beneath him.

"What bullshit do you think your trying to pull here?"

"Nothing... none, I swear to god." Roy gasped out.

"I saw you run, you weren't in your apartment and I know for a fact that you've got quite a bit of cash in your pocket right now so you better start telling the truth."

"Ok.. ok. I shot him yes. But I didn't fucking kill him."

"How the hell does that work?"

"Call Alfred, please, call him, ask him, Tim's alive."

"I don't have time for your games Harper!" 

"I swear I'm telling the truth!"

Tears were now running down Roy's face as he tried to explain himself. He was in too much pain to think straight, the sooner he got Jason off of him the better. 

He sighed, "Didn't you find it strange how calm Tim was after getting shot?"

Jason wasn't backing down that easily, he wouldn't give in like that,

"He was in shock asshole."

"For fucks sake, open your damn eyes, he didn't scream or anything, hell, even from the tree it looked like he was smiling!" 

"So what are you saying, because-

Roy cut him off, 

"I'm trying to tell you that Tim was in on it ok! Tim knew the entire time, we planned it together, the shot was aimed so that it wouldn't kill him."

Jason loosened his grip slightly and Roy sighed in relief,

"I need to make a phone call, but if you dare leave this apartment then your dead." 

Jason stood up and stormed off to the bathroom, leaving the other man on the floor.

The door slammed shut and Roy closed his eyes, letting out a steady breath. Jason meant what he said, he always did, and Roy was in no position to disagree with him. He uncrossed his arms that were still laying on his back and slowly let them fall to his side with a satisfying pop from each shoulder. 

He carefully let himself stand up and walk over to his couch before he collapsed onto the plush cushions.

He propped his elbows onto his knees and buried his face in his hands. He almost screamed. This was not what he planned, this was not what he wanted to happen.


	16. You only live once so live on impulse

"Just got off the phone with Alfred,"

Jason sighed as he walked into the room. He wouldn't make eye contact with Roy, he barley even looked at him. He walked like the floor was made of glass, staring at it intensely to make sure he didn't step on any cracks. 

He tossed his phone on the table and fell backwards on the couch next to Roy, leaving a cushion between them. 

"Your off the hook for now."

Roy sighed a breathy laugh, "thank god for that one."

"I said 'for now', I still want to know why the hell you decided to pull that little stunt." Jason grunted, he wished that Roy could be serious for once especially now.

Roy rolled his eyes and sighed, visibly deflated by his friends dismissive behaviour,

"'Course you do." 

So Roy told Jason the whole story. He told him the why and the how, retelling what Clark told him. He told him that Tim was distracting an operative and as soon as he read the name, he knew he couldn't kill him, for moral reasons of course. Some parts of his story involved animated movements that made Jason laugh or more accurately, they made him chuckle, which dissolved some of the built up tension between the two. 

He left out the part about who his employer was, saying

"I don't want them to kill me worse then they're already going to for letting Tim live."

However, Jason managed to piece together the fact that it was the Kents,

"I could have gathered as much, Timmy's been obsessing over the Conner kid since they first met. Clark's never been to happy 'bout it." He laughed. 

Roy was glad that they could laugh about it but he was still understandably nervous. He just shot the mans brother and he was joking like it was nothing.

He tried to kill him a minute ago!

"So how did you get Tim to agree to this stupid plan anyway?" Jason interrupted Roy's thoughts.

Roy shrugged in response, "Told him the truth."

Jason raised and eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat and snorting a laugh as if to say 'yeah right'.

Roy's head dropped again out of shame and defeat.

"I may have also told him that I was your boyfriend."

Jason burst into laughter at this. A complete change from his mood prior.

He looked at Roy and wiped away a fake tear,

"Of course you did." He breathed out heavily to calm his laughter, 

"And he fell for it?"

Roy shrugged again, a smirk present on his lips, 

"He said I seemed like your type." 

"Well he's not wrong about that."

Roy raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing,

"Is he not now. Then what would you say if I told you you were my type too?"

Shit, why did he have to say that. This was definitely not the right time let alone the right person. He was telling a murder that he liked him, just after they almost murdered him, and he almost murdered his brother! To put it simply, there was too much death to think for a second that this was the right place and time to flirt. He must be stupid, he must have a death wish. 

Jason just sat up and smiled, 

"I'd ask if we can go back to killing each other instead."

"Oh really, would you now?" 

'Stop while your ahead' both of their thoughts seemed to yell.

Was it a good thing that they'd never been to good at listening to their logical sides?

Jason shrugged, if you looked closely, you could tell that he was shaking, he was nervous, scared. But his face showed that he was trying to hide it, it stayed calm and cool, like he was trying to impress someone.

This was definitely going to be impulsive. A spur of the moment. Emotions building up and in no way rationalised. In no way smart or thought through.

Not when he was hell bent on killing Roy not to long ago.

'Exactly', his brain told him, 'you were going to kill him, you hate him, what are you doing.'

But he ignored it.

"Maybe," He said to Roy, "or I would do this."

Before Roy could question, Jason grabbed him by the front of his shirt, balling the fabric into his fist and pulling him close to him.

He lent the rest of the way in, closed his eyes and kissed him. 

He was terrified the entire time, he wished that Roy couldn't tell. God why did he do this, why was he so stupid.

He was just about to stop, awkwardly apologise and leave until...

Roy kissed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so incredibly sorry for this poorly written chapter   
> Please forgive me 
> 
> Anyway, they are happy now but we're not done yet :)


	17. I wish I could say farewell

The morning light filtered through the curtains, the sunrise casting a warm red glow across the bedroom. The skyline was still asleep, allowing for the sun to make its presence know by softly tapping each roof. 

The glow was what woke Jason up, stirring him from a dreamless sleep and urging him into an almost sleepwalk-esque state. 

He groaned slightly as the sun hit his closed eyes and turned over as he opened them. 

It was then that he took in his surroundings. He was laying in a soft bed, the sheets were white and calming for some strange reason. A bedside table beside him had an alarm clock that shone brightly with "10:47" written in red across the front. 

And to his side, on the opposing edge of the bed, was the man himself. The man Jason both loved and hated to wake up next to, Mr Roy Harper.

"Shit." Jason whispered as he sat up on the edge of the bed. He yawned and rubbed his face to both get the sleep out of his eyes and to help wake him up more.

He stretched his arms above him and moved his head side to side until he heard cracks and pops from his shoulders, neck and back.

He sighed and stood up, picking his discarded clothes off of the otherwise neat and tidy bedroom. He struggled to put them on as he stumbled, half awake, to the bedroom door.

He walked straight through, putting his shoes on and patting his hair down, trying his best to look somewhat presentable. 

A crunch sounded under his feet which stopped him in his tracks. Confused, he looked down and lifted up his foot, seeing the bullet necklace left discarded the night before.

He smiled to himself and huffed a short laugh before kneeling on one knee on the ground. He picked up the abandoned metal and turned it over in his hand admiringly. His hands moved to unclasp the hook so each end was opposite hands which he then took around his neck and tightened again.

He watched as the bullet fell when he let go of the chain. The way it bounces against his chest, light shining off of it as it settled into place.

His smile never wavering.

"11am and your already leaving me huh?"

Jason turned to see Roy with his arms crossed leaning in the doorway, a grin plastered on his face and his messy hair tied back out of the way. No matter how hard he tried, a few strands would always come loose but they framed his face nicely, even when he was exhausted.

"What kind of boyfriend leaves without saying goodbye first?"

Roy laughed as he walked past Jason and into the kitchen. 

Jason stood up and followed slowly behind until he was leant against the kitchen counter, Roy heading back and forth from different cupboards just in front of him. 

"Boyfriends? Is that what we're calling this now?" Jason laughed slightly.

"Depends," Roy has stopped walking and was now right in front of Jason, his grin from earlier turning into more of a smirk.

"On?"

"What's your star sign Todd?"

Jason couldn't help but laugh as he pondered the question, searching his brain for an answer.

He gasped for breath after his laughter died down, he raised an eyebrow at the other man, "I'm a Leo."

"Huh," Roy said, sounding weirdly impressed and intrigued, "I'm a Gemini, I guess that makes us compatible." 

Roy shrugged and got on with making his breakfast, leaving Jason both confused and shocked.

"Sure Harper, I've seriously got to head off though," he pushed himself up and started walking out of the kitchen, raising his voice the further he walked to make sure that his 'boyfriend' could still hear him. "I promised Alfred that I'd go and see Tim." 

Roy hummed in repose, "Tell him I said sorry?" He threw the words over his shoulder to make sure that they landed near Jason at least. 

"Also don't forget your phone."

"Thanks," Jason shouted back, spotting the device on the table where he left it last night and pocketing it quickly.

"I'll probably see you around Harper." Were Jason's apparent choice on departing words. Not exactly Shakespeare, but he was tired and slightly socially awkward. 

Plus, a part off him still believed that he shouldn't give Roy the time of day. For all that they've been through, it just wasn't worth it. 

He swung open the front door, hearing the small squeak of the old brackets. He stepped out into the damp, unkempt hall and immediately heard something rustle beneath his shoe...again.

Was this going to be a recurring theme, he hoped not.

He knelt down again with an annoyed sigh and picket up what he recognised to be a slightly crumpled, off white envelope with "Mr Harper" written in cursive across the front. 

"Hey Roy, there's a letter for you..."

His words trailed off as he noticed something strange about the paper in his hand, there was no stamp or address anywhere on the envelope. 

A hand delivered letter?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this one took a bit longer  
> School started back up recently.   
> I'm still going to try and update this as frequently as possible though :)


	18. This isn't what I had planned

"A letter?" 

Roy came into the room, clearly confused. He finished wiping his hand on the cloth he was holding before he placed it on his shoulder. 

Jason stepped inside and shut the door, wearing almost an identical expression to Roy's.

"Yeah, just outside the door."

"Did you hear anyone knock?"

"No, I've been up for a while now so either they came a lot earlier or didn't bother."

"That's weird." Roy whispered, deep in thought.

"You wanna now what's even stranger, it has no address or anything, it was just dropped off by the sender."

"Pass us that."

Roy said, sticking his hand out. Jason placed it in his hand and watched as Roy tore into it.

"Do you want me to stay while you read it?"

He nodded, still not looking up but you couldn't really blame him for that. He was nervous. Scared.

"Please." It came out as barely a whisper.

He read it out loud to Jason. He felt like he could trust the other man. A stupid decision if he really sat and thought about it. 

"Dear Mr Harper,

We are sure you can understand where our point leads with this letter but it is in our best interest to clear the confusion so we may begin to clear the water.

Regarding the recent situation involving Mr Drake, we are, as of when writing, placing you under watch. 

We have reason to believe that the shot from your gun was a deliberate misfire, though we are unaware of a possible motive.

There is too little evidence on our end to come to a clear conclusion this early on, but we are sure that you see our concerns with you being individual hire.

For your sake and the sake of our company, we are letting you know of this added security with the hope that you will take it into consideration with any further action you wish to take.

Please remember that trust is always valued, but if it appears damaged, consequences shall be severe and consistent with what we have said.

Your trusted ally,   
Clark Kent"

The two stood in silence after letting the entirety of the letter be spoken without interruption. It left them in shock for lack of a better word. 

Standing in the dimly lit doorway, mouths agape as the weight of the words sunk in, weighing them down. Possibly more then it should have. 

Roy couldn't fathom why Jason's reaction was similar to his own, he was just glad that someone shared what he was feeling. 

Though it was Jason who carefully cut through the silence that had surrounded them.

"Shit..." he mumbled. 

Roy looked up at him. Jason could see the storm of thoughts setting the cogs in his brain into motion. 

"I'm so fucked."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates are going to be slow because of school but hopefully I can get this finished 
> 
> Honestly thank you so much if your still reading, it means a lot to me :)


	19. The beautiful irony of it all

'Under watch'

Roy wasn't stupid. He knew what it meant. He knew that that was a polite way of saying that if he stepped out of line he would be shot and killed and it would be a miracle if they found his body.

The bastards would probably send Conner to end him. Let the whole situation come full circle in a show of flair and dramatic irony that even the great William Shakespeare himself couldn't see coming.

God. It would be beautiful. It would be even more beautiful if it wasn't his own death he would be witnessing. 

Or maybe it still could be. His final bow, so loud, so bright that you wouldn't want to miss it and you would never forget it. 

Like the firework displays you would see on tv as a kid, the ones that made you look in awe that one small object could make such a show. Such an impact.

He always did want to greet death on his own terms. 

Maybe, one day, perhaps soon, he would get to do just that. 

~~

Jason too, spent time pacing the floor, however, the irony that Roy was silently laughing to himself about, was lost on him.

He had grown fond of the other man, wether it was friends or something more. All he knew was that by some idiotic stretch of the imagination, he didn't despise the man, nor think of Roy as his enemy. 

There was a real enemy, one against the both of them. When he looked at the bigger picture and really analysed it, he saw that.

He saw that Roy was dancing with death and once he lost his footing or fell out of rhythm, if only for a second, the music would end. 

A target was painted on Roy's back and maybe even Tim's and poor Jason was trapped in the middle. 

He knew that if it came to it, he would throw himself in front of the guns.

Die in lights to save the ones he loved. A true vigilante leaving like a hero.


	20. Just say it for me

"I think you should go."

Silence.

Thick, heavy, full silence.

It would have chocked him, would have ripped his lungs through his throat and painfully twisted his heart. If only he didn't see it coming. 

But just because it was expected, it didn't mean it was wanted. 

"Roy, I need you to think about this. Logically."

"I am thinking logically, it's not safe."

A pause. Another beat of silence.

"And this isn't right."

Horrid, sickening silence.

"I never said it was." 

A smile to go along with those words. But it was so out of place. So forced. So bittersweet. He wanted to stop it and bask in it all at once. 

"Roy..."

"Please, just go."

'Make it easy for us both'. The words that went unsaid. He didn't need to say it. They both knew.

Both knew this would happen. It was only a matter of time. 

But it didn't make it hurt less. 

It didn't make it wanted.

It didn't make it right. 

Jason nodded, aware of the words his actions spoke. Aware of the apologies, the cries, the begging, that the simple action held for them both. That hung in the air between them.

Words that they would never be able to say. 

They were an odd pair. Randomly plucked from different ends of the earth. It would never work. They were too similar. 

It was a shame really. 

And so he left. 

Without a final goodbye. 

He couldn't do it. The longer he stayed, the more connected he felt, the more distraught he became. 

He left in silence. Shock and autopilot carrying the dead weight of his feet. Away. Far away.

But it didn't make it right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually know where this is going now, it may seem weird but just trust me with this. 
> 
> Thanks again for reading this and being patient with updates, it really means a lot :)


	21. Alone with my thoughts of you

The door to his apartment closed. 

A sound that resonated through his ears, like a sick joke. An echo that just repeated itself no matter how many times Roy wished it would stop.

He was alone.

Alone in his apartment. Alone in the building that felt so loud.

No matter how much he willed it to stop, memories kept flowing through his mind. 

Jason's stupid half hearted laugh flooded the room, flooded his ears. That laugh he hated... yet he missed it. He missed knowing that he was the one that caused it. The snort, the eye roll, the reluctant chuckle. 

Roy missed it. 

God. It was pathetic. 

Jason had only been gone a few minutes. But as the seconds ticked on. He realised that those minutes would soon become hours. Those hours into days, into months, into years, into...

Into nothing. 

He sighed. 

He sighed and laughed his own reluctant chuckle. But it sounded wrong coming from his mouth. 

It only sounded right when it came from him. 

He made his way over to his couch and sat down heavily, flicking on the tv, eyes unfocused, ears tuned out to the white noise that came from it. 

He sat and he waited. 

He waited, hoping, praying, that the longer he sat here, the quicker life would change and go back to how it was, before Jason, before the entire curse of the Wayne family.


	22. I'd give my life for yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: there is a needle at the end, also there is kidnapping

Jason sighed, feeling the cool air of the outside world whip past his face. 

He knew the streets fairly well and after the slap in the face that just occurred, he thought the scenic route may be best to clear his thoughts. 

He was glad that Roy's city had a park he could go through to get to the train station. 

The park was simple enough. There was a curved path carved between two neatly cut patches of grass. The sides of the path were lined with alternating trees and lampposts that shielded him from passerby's.

It was peaceful, calm, and most importantly, it helped him push Roy to the back of his mind. 

He heard bikes and families and laughing children from almost every direction. Blissfully in their own little worlds. 

He almost envied it. 

While they played and exercised, he was stuck in his own mind, blurring and muffling the sounds around him so that he could only hear his own thoughts. 

It was strangely working, his eyes glued to the ground, his brain not yet caught up. 

That was until he felt the familiar weight of an arm draped across his shoulders and he could see an extra pair of shoes walking in pace beside his.

"Heading back to Gotham so soon?" He could hear the smirk from the stranger beside him as their hot breath hit against his ear. 

He stayed silent though, his jaw tightening. Breath hitched as his brain was shot back into action.

"Your pretty smart, I'll hand that to ya', staying quiet and all." 

Jason felt the cold barrel of a gun go under his shirt and press against his ribs, supposedly to conceal it from wanderers eyes. 

"I suggest you keep that up unless you want the little kiddies in this park to watch you bleed out."

"I'm not afraid of some lowlife like you shooting me." Jason spat under his breath as he walked.

"No?" He heard the silent click as the man flicked the safety off, "but I know you better then you think. You don't wanna die, and I'm pretty sure you'd hate to see your little boy toy with a bullet through his skull." 

Jason's muscles tended as he willed himself to stay quiet. 

"I'd love to see it, the boss wouldn't, but in the end, the decisions yours." 

"If you lay a finger on him I'll-"

The gun was pushed further.

"You'll do nothing, Jason. I'm in control here. Now I think you and I should carry on our little walk elsewhere, clear the air between us. If your lucky, you'll survive."

"And Roy?"

"I don't make promises I don't intend to keep."

"I wouldn't know, I still don't know your name."

"And perhaps that's for the better." 

They had stopped walking at this point, they finally got to the other entrance of the park. There were cars lined up all down the road, mostly belonging to the families, still enjoying their day at the park.

"I'm not sorry for this Jason, in fact, I almost enjoy it." 

Jason went to speak but before the words could form in his mouth, he felt a sharp pain in the side of his neck. 

He realised what it was one moment to late because by the time it registered, his arm was too weak to pull the needle from his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for still reading this despite the irregular updates
> 
> Valentine's Day was a few days ago, I hope you enjoyed it however you celebrated, and if you didn't celebrate then I hope you had a good day regardless
> 
> :)


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